Surgical stocking



Sept. 15 1931. HWALT N' 1,823,178

SURGICAL STOCKING Filed April '7, 1930 INVENTOR. QZz'Ver M2207;

d MM ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 15, 1931 UNITED STATES OLIVER H. WALTON, 0F NEED'HAM HEIGHTS, MASSACHUSETTS SURGICAL STOCKING Application filed April 7,

This invention relates to surgical appliances and has special reference to a surgical stocking for supporting the lower leg when such support is indicated in sprains and other lesions.

One object of the present invention is to provide a novel form of stocking of this description having improved means whereby the stocking is kept from slipping down the le A second important object of the invention is to provide a novel stocking of this character including gartering means both above and below the knee.

A third important object of the invention is to provide a novel stocking of this class wherein flexure of the knee joint is not interfered with.

lVith the above and other objects in view the invention consists in general of novel combinations and arrangements of details hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawings like characters of reference refer to like parts throughout, and 1-.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a stocking constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a magnified detail of a portion of the upper part of the stocking showing a typical construction.

The stocking forming this invention is intended to cover all parts of the leg from the instep to a point above the knee except the heel. For this purpose the stocking is preferably of knit fabric and is provided with an upper edge portion forming an upper garter 10 below which is a knee portion 11 which is of sufficient length to fully oover the knee and terminates below at the' upper end of the calf. At this point there is a second garter-portion 12 which is also of elastic gartering but is heavier than the first gartering and is arranged to grip the leg more tightly than the first garter. Below the lower garter the leg 13 of the stocking is formed of elastic material and extends down to a short foot portion 14 also of 1930. Serial No. 442,301.

elastic material, a heel gore 15 being left so that the portion 1 1 may extend over the foot without unpleasantly bindin the heel. It is preferred that this lower elastic portion shall have less elastic quality than either of the garters and that the portion 11 shall be made without elastic material.

Various means may be adopted to produce these desired differences in elasticity and while I am not to be confined necessarily to the special construction shown in Figure 2 yet that figure shows one preferred construction by which this may be done. In this construction the fabric is shown with the portion 10 provided with cross strands 16 of rubber of medium thickness,' the portion 11 free from rubber, the portion 12 with rubber cross strands 17 of heavier rubber and the remainder of the stocking with cross strands 18 of rubber lighter than the strands 16.

By means of this construction the stocking is supported on both sides of the knee without interfering with the flexing of the knee joint. It is well understood that a stocking of this kind gartered below the knee alone is very liable to work down the leg while one gartered above the knee alone will likewise tend to displacement unless the covering of the knee joint is made elastic butthat this interferes with flexing of the joint. The gartering portion 12 having strands of heavier elastic will anchor itself firmly around the leg of the wearer. Any displacement of the stocking due to the movement of the leg of the wearer will be either from the heel up to the garter 12 or from the garter 10 down to the garter 12, the garter 12 being immovable.

There has thus been provided a highly eficient stocking of this character.

Obviously, changes may be made in specific details while adhering to the principles involved so that it is wished to include all modifications which come within' the scope claimed.

Having thus described the invention, I claim j 1. A surgical stocking reaching from a point above the knee to the instep and having elastic gartering portions above and below the knee, the stocking below the lower gartering portion being formed with elastic ma- 7 terial, the lower gartering portion being of heavier garteri'ng material than the upper gartering portion. x r 2. A surgical stocking reaching from a point above the knee to the instep and having elastic gartering portions above and below the knee, the stocking below the lower gartering portion being formed with elastic material', the stocking between the gartering portions being substantially inelastic, the lower gartering portion being of heavier gartering material than the upper gartering portion.

3. A surgical stocking reaching from a point above the knee to the instep and having elastic gartering portions above and below the knee, the stocking below the lower gartering portion'being formed with elastic material, the lower gartering portion being of heavier gartering material than the upper gartering portion, the portion below the lower gartering portion being more yieldable than the gartering portions.

4. A surgical stocking reaching from a point above the knee to the instep and having elastic gartering portions above and below the knee, the stocking below the lower gal tering portion being formed with elastic material, the stockin between the gartering portions being su stantially inelastic, the lower gartering portion being of heavier gartering material than the upper gartering portion, the portion below the lower gartering portion being more yieldable than the gartering portions.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature.

OLIVER H. WALTON. 

